Haut Couture with Air

Generally balloons are associated with children's parties and they might even reach artistic constructions and creative design. But here balloons are serious business.

The American fashion designers Katie Laibstain, 23, and Steven Jones, 39 are creating everything from bikinis to party dresses made entirely out of balloons. They are attracting a lot of hot air over their new collection. The outfits are nothing more then modelling balloons by filling them with air and twisting them together to a perfect and fashionable outfit.

At this moment they are on show at the Kim Tom Clown Festival Fashion Show in Shanghai, China, being the talk of the town.

Each dress can be worn only once. Do you think that is a problem? No way, this restriction does not exclude the willingness to pay up to 1.000 pound sterling for some more elaborate designs.
Some dresses contain more than 300 balloons, each some 60 inches long and one or two inches thick. Imagine a striptease party: a pound sterling for a pop or the groom at the wedding night, because don't forget you can get in, most times with difficulty, put you can't get out without â€œpoppingâ€ all balloons.

According to Katie, of Richmond, Virginia: "Balloon clothes are ultra chic. They are the finest couture available. "They may not always be easy to get into, but there are so many creative ways to take them off - pop, pop, pop!"